Minister for Health out of his depth and Fianna Fáil must stop protecting him-Brady

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Wicklow Sinn Féin TD John Brady has said that the publication of a memo which shows the Health Minister Simon Harris was aware that the National Children’s Hospital had a €391million overrun last August shows that the Minister’s position is untenable and that Stephen Donnelly and Fianna Fáil need to stop protecting him.

Teachta Brady said “Minster Harris’ story is unravelling before our very eyes.

“The memo published clearly shows that he was aware of a €391million overrun at the hospital as far back as August yet he did not inform the his cabinet colleagues till November 9th.

“This means that he was aware of a massive cost overrun at the hospital while he and his government were putting together the budget for this year yet he never mentioned it till after the budget was announced.

“Minister Harris’ position is completely untenable. The health service is complete turmoil. Our health service is getting worse daily under Fine Gael and Minister Harris, I genuinely believe the Minister is completely out of his depth.

“Nurses, Midwives, Paramedics and Psychiatric Nurses all on strike! National Children’s Hospital costs spiralling out of control! Cervical cancer scandal! GP’s protesting, Trolley crisis! The list goes on and on. To listen to Fianna Fáil talk you’d think there was nothing they could do about any of this, someone remind us who is keeping this mess spiral by keeping Fine Gael in power. Harris must go and Fianna Fáil must stop protecting him!

“There is also an onus on Fianna Fáil to hold their collation partners to account and they have to stop protecting Minister Harris. They hold the numbers on this. If Micheál Martin and Stephen Donnelly change their position then we can move a motion of no confidence and the Minster will be gone as early as next week.”